Video Game Industry Added $5 Billion To U.S. Economy In 2009

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has released a new
report, conducted by Economists Incorporated, called
Video Games in the 21st Century,
which found that the computer and video game industry contributed
$5 billion to the U.S. economy last year.

At a time when the U.S. has been struggling with one of the worst
economic recessions in history, it's clear that games have been
providing a nice lift (even though they, too, are not immune to
recession).

The ESA also found that the entertainment software industry's
real annual growth rate from 2005 to 2009 exceeded 10 percent,
which is actually more than seven times the growth rate of the
U.S. economy as a whole.

"Despite a challenging economic environment, the entertainment
software industry continues to grow and create new jobs at a
rapid pace," said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the
ESA. "Computer and video game companies have made an important
contribution to our nation's economy while stimulating
technological innovations and expanding the impact of games on
our daily lives.

As the findings of this report suggest, the entertainment
software industry is well positioned to sustain these economic
and social contributions well into the future."

Other important findings from the study included:

The computer and video game industry directly employs more
than 32,000 individuals, a number that has increased by nearly
nine percent annually since 2005;

Industry employees earn an average annual compensation of
$89,781;

Total compensation for all workers directly employed in the
computer and video game industry was $2.9 billion in 2009; and

The industry directly and indirectly employs more than
120,000 people in the United States.

California remains the largest employer of computer and video
game personnel in the nation, providing more than $2.6 billion in
direct and indirect compensation to Californians last year.

Entertainment software companies in the Golden State added
approximately $2.1 billion to the state's economy and grew by a
real annual rate of 11.4 percent from 2005 to 2009, compared to a
period of negative growth for California's overall economy.

Texas ranked second nationally in computer and video game
personnel in 2009, with 13,613 direct and indirect employees;